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Governing the high seas: priorities for the Least Developed Countries

The United Nations has resolved to develop a new international and legally binding agreement for international waters. Once activated, such an instrument will help balance conservation, social and economic objectives. But any new agreement must properly consider concerns from countries most affected by the world’s rapidly changing use of the ‘high seas’. In particular, countries’ abilities to participate in negotiations, and to assert an equitable claim over ocean resources, depends partly on their capacities and development stage. This briefing sets out the Least Developed Countries’ priorities for a new agreement, and their views on institutional arrangements for a suitable governance structure.